I've been drumming for a number of years now but recently I've started to have really bad back pains because of standing up for 8 hours a day in work in hard shoes and just generally having bad posture. My throne is a pretty basic one that I got with my starter kit many moons ago... and my floor is carpeted. Recently I can only play for 30 minutes or so at a time before my back (lower back especailly) feels like its going to explode and leave me as just a head with limbs.

I think the problem might be that my floor is so soft that my weight isn't rooted... or also just the generally bad quality of the throne, the top doesn't tighten all the way and neither do the legs because of rust (it spent a lot of time in my friends shed)

Is there anything I can do aside from splashing out on a new seat? (which I will most certainly be doing very soon anyway)

I ask drummers this question all the time: what's the heaviest part of the kit? And answer, "You are!". You must be supported better than that 20" thin crash on the giraffe-like boom stand you just spent $175 for. And oddly enough, a good throne costs a little less!

Maybe get a throne with a backrest option. But even after that, I'd visit a chiropractor to help correct anything that's damaged.

Couldn't agree more with the posters about spending the dough for a good quality throne. I also use the backrest option but here's a lttle tip. I don't actually "rest" or lean back on the backrest. I just make sure that I keep my back in contact with it. The reason is to assure that I keep good posture. If you have severe back pain I'd also recommend you check in with a chiropractor and/or physical therapist. They can fix what's wrong and give you good advice on how to avoid future problems. I've been down this road before and can tell you that good posture is essential. You may also need to adjust the way your drums are set up to give yourself a fighting chance.

I ask drummers this question all the time: what's the heaviest part of the kit? And answer, "You are!". You must be supported better than that 20" thin crash on the giraffe-like boom stand you just spent $175 for. And oddly enough, a good throne costs a little less!

Maybe get a throne with a backrest option. But even after that, I'd visit a chiropractor to help correct anything that's damaged.

Here here, I can't believe more people don't realise that! I splashed out €175 (which is about $176) for a big chunky seat with backrest and its actually like playing on a cloud as opposed to an iron maiden (or something very uncomfortable anyway)

I was having the same problem and like others bought a new Roc-N-Soc with a backrest. The Roc-N-Soc uses high density foam so it is much more supportive than others I tried that had thick, soft foam that just squished down to nothing in minutes. I also agree with the advice that the backrest is really a tool for improved posture as I don't put a lot of pressure on it either. This definitely improved my aching back while drumming. You also ought to consider better shoes at work. I have found Redwing shoes are wonderful for people who work on their feet all day long. Good luck!

I've been drumming for a number of years now but recently I've started to have really bad back pains because of standing up for 8 hours a day in work in hard shoes and just generally having bad posture. My throne is a pretty basic one that I got with my starter kit many moons ago... and my floor is carpeted. Recently I can only play for 30 minutes or so at a time before my back (lower back especailly) feels like its going to explode and leave me as just a head with limbs.

I think the problem might be that my floor is so soft that my weight isn't rooted... or also just the generally bad quality of the throne, the top doesn't tighten all the way and neither do the legs because of rust (it spent a lot of time in my friends shed)

Is there anything I can do aside from splashing out on a new seat? (which I will most certainly be doing very soon anyway)

Thanks!

I would question your seating position. With your back straight, lift both feet off your pedals, if you fall forward your abs are weak and/or you're sitting too high.

If you must sit that high, increase your ab strength, but doing so won't ultimately help your playing come-off as 'relaxed' in either sound, or visually.

You'll struggle with a high seating position and your body will try and correct with poor posture and/or tension in your midsection.

To find 'level' on your stool, sit with both feet on your pedals in their bottom positions (HH closed, beater on head), place a level on your thigh, an 8" level works best, about 1/3 out from you hip. Since the foam in stool tops compress, check level after a short bit of playing.

Adjust stool height till level as a reference point. You'll notice lower you go with the stool, the more your center of gravity moves to you lower back, which frees up arm/upper body movement independent of leg movement, meaning you can do leg movements and not have to counter balance with your arms and vice versa.

The height of your stool as mentioned is probably the cause of this- I know i have had similar pains in the past due to bad posture

A good rule of thumb is to keep your legs at right angles in the heel up position. I.e. top of your leg should be parallel to the ground and your lower leg should be at a right angle to either your top leg or the floor :)

I've been drumming for about 3 years and let me say that I never made the mistake of using regular stool or chair. One of my friends, an expert drummer, told me that if I wanted to continue enjoying drumming without developing back problems, there are a few things I needed to know:

One, choosing the right drum throne is key. There are many drum throne brands out there, but quality brands like Roc n Soc and Gilbatar are quite a catch. Such drum thrones are ergonomically designed to provide you with excellent comfort and back support.

Speaking of comfort and back support, choose a drum throne with a contoured seat and a properly padded seat cushion. Contoured seats are said to be a great option as they conform to your butt, thereby reducing strain to your spine and lower back. Cushioned seats ensure maximum comfort all the way.

Something else worth considering is the height adjustability. If the drum throne lacks a height adjustability feature, then it becomes impossible to adjust the height according to your height. You don't want a drum throne that is either too high or too short as it might lead to excessive fatigue, back pain, as well as poor posture.

Other factors to consider include stability, maximum weight capacity, and whether the seat is free spinning. Free spinning seats are a much better option compared to motionless drum thrones as they prevent spinal strain from your body twisting.

And lastly, although most premium drum thrones are designed to offer maximum back support to prevent back pain, you may opt for one with a backrest. Most models like Roc n Soc come with a backrest(which is sold separately). Therefore, if you feel that a drum throne alone wont offer you the much needed back support, you can go for a backrest.